Fiber optic ferrule and a guide pin clamp with field changeable guide pins

Abstract

A fiber optic ferrule and a guide pin clamp allows for changing guide pins in the field. The guide pin clamp has a forward clamp portion, a rearward clamp portion configured to engage the biasing spring and a guide pin retaining plate. The forward clamp portion and the rearward clamp portion move relative to one another to also move guide pin retaining plate from a first position to a second position to allow for the removal or insertion of guide pins.

We claim: 
     
       1. A fiber optic connector having field-changeable guide pins, comprising:
 at least one housing defining a passageway; 
 a fiber optic ferrule disposed at least partially within the passageway of the at least one housing of the fiber optic connector, the fiber optic ferrule having guide pin openings extending through the fiber optic ferrule from a front face to a rear face thereof to receive a field-changeable guide pin therein; 
 a pin clamp comprising a forward clamp portion, a rearward clamp portion and a guide pin retaining plate, wherein the forward clamp portion is configured to engage the rear face of the fiber optic ferrule, the forward clamp portion having two guide pin openings therethrough to receive a field-changeable guide pin in each of the two guide pin openings, and 
 wherein the rearward clamp portion is configured to engage a spring for biasing the fiber optic ferrule in the fiber optic connector and has two guide pin cavities to receive at least a portion of one of the field-changeable guide pins, and 
 wherein the guide pin retaining plate is disposed between the forward clamp portion and the rearward clamp portion, the guide pin retaining plate configured to engage a portion of each of the guide pins; 
 the spring disposed within the at least one housing and rearwardly of the pin clamp; and 
 a spring push engaging the spring and the connector housing to retain the spring and fiber optic ferrule within the connector housing. 
 
     
     
       2. The fiber optic connector according to  claim 1 , wherein the forward clamp portion has a front face and a rear face, the at least one projection extending from the front face and away from the forward clamp portion, at least one rearward tab extending from the rear face and away from the forward clamp portion to engage a portion of the rearward clamp portion, and at least one sloped surface to engage a tab extending from a front face of the rearward clamp portion, and
 wherein the rearward clamp portion has a front face and a rear face, the rear face configured to engage the spring for biasing the fiber optic ferrule, at least one sloped surface on the front face of the rearward clamp portion to engage the tab extending from the rear face of the forward clamp portion. 
 
     
     
       3. A pin clamp for use with a fiber optic connector, the fiber optic connector having at least one housing, a fiber optic ferrule disposed at least partially within the at least one housing of the fiber optic connector, the fiber optic ferrule having guide pin openings extending from a front face to a rear face of the fiber optic ferrule to receive a guide pin therein, a spring, and a spring push, the pin clamp comprising:
 a forward clamp portion to engage the rear face of the fiber optic ferrule, the forward clamp portion having two guide pin openings therethrough to receive a guide pin in each of the two guide pin openings; 
 a rearward clamp portion configured to engage the spring for biasing the fiber optic ferrule in the fiber optic connector and two guide pin receptacles to receive at least a portion of one of the guide pins; and 
 at least one guide pin retaining plate at least partially disposed between the forward clamp portion and the rearward clamp portion, the forward clamp portion and the rearward clamp portion movable relative to one another between a first position and a second position and the guide pin retaining plate configured to engage a portion of each of the guide pins in the first position. 
 
     
     
       4. The pin clamp according to  claim 3 , wherein the forward clamp portion and the rearward clamp portion are rotatable relative to one another about an axis longitudinally oriented relative to the fiber optic ferrule. 
     
     
       5. The pin clamp according to  claim 3  wherein the spring biases the rearward clamp portion into the first position. 
     
     
       6. The pin clamp according to  claim 3 , wherein the guide pin retaining plate is configured to disengage the guide pins in the second portion. 
     
     
       7. The pin clamp according to  claim 3 , wherein the forward clamp portion and the rearward clamp portion each have a helical ramp, the forward clamp portion and the rearward clamp portion being movable along respective helical ramps of each other. 
     
     
       8. The pin clamp according to  claim 3 , further comprising a fiber optic connector having at least one housing, a fiber optic ferrule disposed at least partially within the at least one housing of the fiber optic connector, the fiber optic ferrule having guide pin openings extending from a front face to a rear face of the fiber optic ferrule to receive a guide pin therein, a spring, and a spring push. 
     
     
       9. The pin clamp according to  claim 3 , wherein the forward clamp portion has a front face and a rear face, at least one rearward tab extending from the rear face and away from the forward clamp portion to engage a portion of the rearward clamp portion and at least one sloped surface to engage a tab extending from a front face of the rearward clamp portion. 
     
     
       10. The pin clamp according to  claim 9 , wherein the rearward clamp portion has a front face and a rear face, the rear face configured to engage the spring for biasing the fiber optic ferrule, at least one sloped surface on the front face of the rearward clamp portion to engage the tab extending from the rear face of the forward clamp portion. 
     
     
       11. The pin clamp according to  claim 10 , wherein the forward clamp portion and the rearward clamp portion each have two tabs to engage corresponding sloped surfaces on the other of the forward clamp portion and the rearward clamp portion. 
     
     
       12. The pin clamp according to  claim 3 , wherein guide pin retaining plate has two partially circular portions joined by an elongated member, the partially circular portions forming an opening to allow a portion of each of the guide pins to pass therethrough and into the guide pin cavities in the rearward clamp portion. 
     
     
       13. The pin clamp according to  claim 12 , wherein the front face of the rearward clamp portion has at least one guide pin retaining plate projection and two guide pin retaining plate tabs, each of guide pin retaining plate tabs having a rearward facing surface, the guide pin retaining plate being disposed between the front face of the rearward clamp portion and the rearward facing surface of the guide pin retaining plate tabs. 
     
     
       14. The pin clamp according to  claim 13 , wherein the at least one guide pin retaining plate projection comprises two guide pin retaining plate projections, the elongated member of the guide pin retaining plate passing between the two guide pin retaining plate projections. 
     
     
       15. The pin clamp according to  claim 12 , wherein the rearward clamp portion is moveable between a first position and a second position, and wherein in the second position the guide pin openings in the forward clamp portion and the openings in guide pin retaining plate are aligned with one another. 
     
     
       16. The pin clamp according to  claim 15 , wherein the guide pin retaining plate moves between the first and second position with the rearward clamp portion. 
     
     
       17. The pin clamp according to  claim 3 , wherein a portion of the fiber optic connector allows access to the rearward clamp portion from outside the fiber optic connector. 
     
     
       18. The pin clamp according to  claim 3 , wherein the forward clamp portion has at least one projection configured to engage a corresponding opening in the rear face of the fiber optic ferrule, the at least one projection extending from the front face and away from the forward clamp portion.